Copper-Zinc Stress Relief Annealing

Stress-relief annealing on brass is done to remove internal stresses that could otherwise lead to cracks. The part is heated in a controlled manner and slowly cooled again. If you mess this up and heat the material too much or cool it too fast, the structure gets poor and the risk of cracking increases. Especially after welding or heavy cold working, this is a critical point. So: heat cleanly, don't overdo it, and then let it cool down slowly. Then the part will hold.